Pure Michigan Am I Right?

Well, it's a snowpocalypse outside.  Puuuuuure Michigan.  A snow storm in Michigan calls for beer and beef.  I've combined the two in an ale & beef stew.  YEEEEAAAAHHH!

Stuff:

2 pounds stew beef(or venison if you want to be a true Michigander)

1 large onion, chopped

Some root vegetables(I had some carrots, parsnips, and turnips), as much as you like...I like a lot

1 bottle of brown ale

3.5 cups beef stock

1/2 cup tomato paste

Some salt and pepper

Some Olive oil

1/2 cup flour*

Handful parsley, chopped

*skip this ingredient and substitute corn starch if you wish to make this gluten free(hi Katie & Ryan!)

Ok season the beef with salt and pepper

Toss the meat with the flour

(If making this GF don't use the corn starch yet)

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in a large, heavy bottomed pan(that has a lid) until soft

Move the onions to a bowl

Add a little more oil if needed, working in batches, brown the meat

I needed 3 batches, when each part is done, move to a bowl

Once all batches are browned there will be some brown bits on the bottom of the pan(heart eyes emoji here because that's all our flavor)

Take the delicious beer, open it, take a swig...

Cabin Fever, how fitting...

Anyway, pour the beer into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom(AKA deglaze)

Once you've scraped the bottom, add the tomato paste and whisk to combine

It will get very thick on account of the flour from the beef and the tomato paste

Add the beef and onions

Pour the beef stock and stir to combine

Add some salt and pepper and cover with the lid

WAIT WAIT WHAT ABOUT THE VEGETABLES, BANANN?!

Well hold your horses people!

After about and hour and a half on low heat. THEN add the vegetables so they don't completely disintegrate in the stew

Cook the stew another hour or so until the vegetables and meat are tender, at the time add in the chopped parsley

NOW, if you are making this GF, at this point take like 2 tablespoons of corn starch and 1/2 cup water and mix together in a bowl until there are no lumps, take this slurry and stir it into the stew and it will thicken within a few minutes. 

You're done!

Serve with some mashed potatoes, egg noodles, baked potatoes, whatever starchy accompaniment you like!

(I like mashed potatoes and peas, but to each their own)

L'Shanah Tovah

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year, for those who don't know.  During Rosh Hashanah one would eat round sweet food to symbolize a sweet year, apples being round, sweet, and in season are a staple.  I've made this cake to celebrate. 

Jewish Apple Cake:

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking power

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups shredded apples

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon 

Begin by beating the eggs until pale, yellow, and foamy

Add in the granulated sugar, butter, oil, and vanilla

Once combined slowly add the flour, salt, and baking powder

Mix until just barely combined, then add the apples

Fold together

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon 

Ok, anyway...GENEROUSLY grease a bundt pan and pour in half the batter

Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture all over the batter

Pour the rest of the batter in

Bake at 350(325 for dark pans) for 50-55 minutes 

Let cool one hour and turn onto a cooling rack or plate

Once cooled dust with powdered sugar, whipped cream, glaze, whatever you like, and EAT

I love a good cinnamon stripe :) :)

Happy Birthday, Dear Chelsey

What's a birthday without birthday cake? If you ask me, the quintessential birthday cake combo is yellow cake with chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles. You might think it's something else but, this is my blog and my opinion. HA!  Just kidding.  But I do love yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  Chelsey and I met roughly a year ago and we became fast friends(love you, Chels Bells!).  These are my cupcakes for her birthday.  

Ingredients:

8(yes, EIGHT!) egg yolks

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cake flour*

3/4 cup milk

*cake flour works best, but you can use all-purpose flour.  If you are so inclined, you can make your own cake flour by removing 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and adding 2 tablespoons of corn starch 

ANYWAY

Begin by creaming the butter and sugar until the sugar has fully dissolved into the butter

Add in the egg yolks, one at a time

Mix in the vanilla, slowly add the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined

Fill cupcakes tins about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.  Frost with your favorite frosting.  

Chocolate Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened 

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch salt

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Beat in the mixer until fluffy.  

Quickles

Ok, ok, if you are NOT into canning, read on.  

I made some quick pickles, refrigerator pickles, or...Quickles 

I didn't have the time or energy for canning today so I made some pickles which do not require the time or energy like regular pickles. Yay!

This "recipe" is a pretty loose guideline and is fully customizable 

-Some vegetables: I had a red and a green bell pepper and one English cucumber, cut up however you like(thick, thin, matchstick, whatever you like)

-2 cups vinegar: you can use any vinegar you like, I used apple cider vinegar

-2 cups water

-3 tablespoons coarse salt

-1/3 cup sugar, I like sweet pickles. If you do not, use like 2-3 tablespoons 

-Some spices: anything you like, SERIOUSLY. I had some red pepper flake, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds

I'm using some ball jars just because I have them and like to use them but you really can use a nonreactive container of any kind, pyrex bowl, plastic container, just not metal please

Anyway, in a large pot, bring the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices to a boil.

I sterilized my jars because I use them for everything from storing food to potted plants so I had to sterilize them

Set them aside, 

Begin filling your containers with the vegetables, pack them in there all snuggly with eachother 

Pour the vinegar water mixture into a pitcher type vessel(trust me, it's easier if you do)

Pour over the vegetables, leaving like 1/4-1/2 inch space on top

Put the lids on the jars, or lid on whatever container you're using 

Iet the pickles come to room temperature before putting them in your fridge

These are good for about 7-10 days

Enjoy 

History Repeats Itself

During the Great Depression to World War I to World War II there were rations on many items one would need to cook and/or bake(other items as well but this blog is about food not gasoline).  Sugar, milk, eggs, butter being some pretty important ingredients, many home cooks came up with their own recipes that did not require these items.  One of those recipes is the "Wacky Cake", this recipe does contain sugar, it doesn't have butter, milk, or eggs.  So, I guess this recipe is also vegan.  Interesting. 

Our Cast:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water(or coffee)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon vinegar

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In an 8" by 8" square or a 9" round pan(ungreased), sift all the dry ingredients 

...or mix with a fork like I did

Now this part is weird, I suppose not necessary but oh well, make 3 wells in the cake 

In one hole, pour the oil, in the next hole pour the vanilla, and in the last hole pour the vinegar

Now pour the water(or coffee like I did) all over the top and mix with a fork

It will bubble up and foam a little bit not don't worry(vinegar+baking soda=foam duh)

Bake for 23-25 min

Top the cooled cake with your favorite frosting or some powdered sugar 

This is a terrible picture but I ate it too fast to get another one.  SORRRYYYYY 

Saucijzenbroodjes

This recipe is brought to you in part by my heritage.  Saucijzenbroodjes are the Dutch counterpart to "pigs in a blanket", except there are no "Li'l Smokies" and "Crescent Rolls" found here.  These are made with a beef and pork mixture wrapped in a sort of pie crust, if you want to use sausage fine but call them Worstenbroodjes. 

Meat Mixture:

3/4lb. ground pork(NOT SAUSAGE)

3/4lb. ground beef(I used chuck)

2 eggs

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard(optional)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Crust:

2.5 sticks of butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Some cold water 

In a food processor(or by hand if you really want) add the flour, salt, and butter and pulse until it becomes a coarse meal

Working with a few tablespoons at a time, pulse in the cold water. This could be 3 tablespoons or it could be a 1/4 cup, it just depends.

Wrap the dough in plastic and let chill for 1 hr(or overnight, whatever)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the beef and pork, add the remaining ingredients and gently mix together

When the dough is thoroughly chilled, roll out on a floured surface until very thin, looks don't count here so don't worry about whether or not you roll a perfect square

Score the dough into as many 4" x 3" squares you can fit

The size of each square doesn't matter because as you separate them you roll them even thinner, so no worries

Using 2-3 tablespoons at a time, form some sausages and and begin wrapping in the dough

Place the rolls on lined sheet pans and prick with a fork

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for 12-15 more minutes

Eet Smakelijk

(Eat well, and with taste)